novelnext Chapter 50 I've taken a liking to your novel
Chapter 50 I've taken a liking to your novel
When you get angry, you speak more directly.
He addressed the production company representatives in the audience, saying, "We hope you will treat our work with respect."
His warning, delivered in a tone that was half-joking and half-serious, drew whistles from several authors in the audience.
Chen Wu has definitely set his sights on their novel.
While Lao Huo and the others were talking, Chen Wu's eyes kept searching through the crowd.
He didn't see anyone at the spot he had arranged for Prince An; but he was quite certain that Prince An was hiding somewhere.
Wang Zian noticed his searching gaze; he pulled his hoodie down further and shrank behind a huge photographer next to him, whose shoulders were wide enough to fit three of him.
Unless Chen Wu flies, there is absolutely no way he can see him from this angle.
The meeting concluded amidst enthusiastic applause.
As the lights were turned up, the authors in the venue got up in twos and threes and headed to the tea break area.
Wang Zian left the moment the crowd stood up.
The afternoon session was a writers' conference, divided into several breakout sessions. Some sessions focused on copyright management, while others discussed creative trends. Each breakout session had a colorful agenda posted at the entrance.
Wang Zian walked with the crowd for a while with his hands behind his back, glanced at the agenda, then at the writers and editors at the door who were already eagerly exchanging contact information, and turned to walk directly towards the elevator.
He was going to meet with Chen Wu to finish that little meeting, and then he'd leave.
···
Upon arriving at Chen Wu's room, Wang Zian first looked around the room.
This is the executive suite on the top floor overlooking the lake, and the living room is half again as big as his rented apartment in Los Angeles.
A huge floor-to-ceiling window faces West Lake, and the afternoon sun shines on the water, turning the entire lake into a piece of pale golden silk ruffled by the wind.
"Chen Wu, your room is quite nice! It's a suite!"
Chen Wu didn't even look at him. He placed a cup of brewed Longjing tea on the opposite side of the coffee table and sat down in the single sofa opposite him.
Wang Zian didn't care and sat down opposite him. He could see the West Lake bathed in sunlight outside the window by turning his head.
Several small boats were slowly drifting on the lake.
"How was my speech this morning?" Chen Wu pushed the teacup towards him.
"The speech was quite good!" Wang Zian picked up his teacup and made a few perfunctory remarks. "The words were concise, the theme was clear, and it was thought-provoking."
"Seriously, you're a physics student from Tsinghua University, and you actually enjoy things like brewing tea!"
"There's no other way." Chen Wu picked up the Zisha teapot, gently pressed the air hole on the lid with his thumb, and steadily poured out a graceful arc with his wrist. The fragrance of Longjing tea swirled beautifully at the bottom of the cup with the water. "If the leader likes it, I'll learn from him."
"Hehe~!"
After a few simple jokes between the two, the atmosphere in the room began to change.
"You insisted I come because you've got your eye on my novel?"
Chen Wu brought the teacup to his lips, took a small sip, and put it down. "Yes! There are quite a few I've got my eye on."
"Tell me in detail~!" Wang Zian leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs.
Chen Wu reached for the tea table beside him, pulled out a pre-printed list from his briefcase, and spread it out on the table. His finger first landed on a section: "TV series: 'Once Upon a Time There Was a Spirit Sword Mountain,' 'Elegy of the Ming Dynasty,' 'The Bad Guys,' and 'Seven Swords.'"
His finger moved down one notch: "On the film side, they want to adapt 'Uncharted'."
His finger moved to another section, pausing slightly on the coffee table: "The animation department wants all your copyrights. Most importantly..."
He tapped his finger heavily on the last line of the list, looked up at Wang Zian, and said, "That Naruto Shippuden you've been keeping secret, and another long-running series."
Regarding games...
"Holy crap!" Wang Zian was stunned by Chen Wu's appetite.
"Big brother, you don't know, I've already licensed the anime rights to quite a few of my novels!"
Chen Wu smiled without saying a word, picked up the teapot and refilled the empty cup in front of Wang Zi'an with fresh tea.
Wang Zian looked at the cup of tea, and he understood.
"You want to acquire Xuanji Technology, Ruosen, Kuaikan, and Youyaoqi."
This isn't about copyright.
Chen Wu wanted the entire industry chain, from the source of content to the production company to the broadcasting platform, taking over everything in one go.
Wang Zian's novel is just one brick in this map.
Chen Wu put down the teapot, and without going into the usual business negotiations, he looked him straight in the eye and said frankly, "Just give me a little bit of the shares."
His tone was so natural, as if he were saying, "Give me a piece of cake."
"Impossible." Wang Zian picked up his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and then slammed the cup down on the coffee table.
Chen Wu picked up the teapot and poured Wang Zi'an another cup of tea.
Prince An drank it all in one gulp.
Chen Wu glanced at him and continued pouring.
Prince An continued to drink from his cup.
"You disagree?"
"Yes!" Wang Zian nodded. "Didn't you see they've finished all the tea?"
"You acquired all those companies!" Chen Wu frowned. "Just give me a small share of the profits!"
"Impossible!" Wang Zian shook his head firmly. "With your investment style, Tencent talks about controlling stakes as soon as they enter the door. If they can't get it, they try every means to dilute your share. A few years later, the founder is sidelined and forced out."
Do you think I'd hand over the company I built with my own hands to you guys to mess around with?
Chen Wu did not refute.
He knew that his company's investment department had indeed been somewhat domineering in the past.
"Our film industry doesn't operate like that; I just want to complete my business portfolio," Chen Wu explained.
"Do you even believe what you're saying?" Wang Zian's expression showed no anger, only heartfelt disgust.
Chen Wu remained silent for a short while, while the water in the teapot simmered gently, making a soft gurgling sound.
He changed his approach: "Even if you don't want to give up shares, you should at least sign a joint agreement."
"What joint agreement?"
"Under the agreement of mutual respect, you cannot broadcast your work on other platforms!"
"Am I an idiot?" Wang Zian picked up his newly poured cup of tea, blew on the tea leaves floating on top, and looked at Chen Wu over the rim of the cup.
"You're not releasing anything, yet you expect me to be tied to your platform?"
"The copyright fees for each novel, the profit sharing from the TV series, and the revenue from game and comic book derivatives—not a single word of these details has been discussed, and you're already telling me to sign an exclusivity agreement?"
"If Aiyouguo offers a higher price, am I not going to sell?"
Chen Wu took a deep breath: "Don't worry, we'll offer a price that will satisfy you!"
"Hehe~!"
He placed the empty teacup on the coffee table with a crisp sound.
"We can discuss these issues in detail when our work begins to be adapted; besides, I don't want to get involved in this topic myself, so I'll have a colleague talk to you about it then!"
He paused, his tone becoming more blunt and less polite, "Although I am a shareholder of Yuewen, I am only a minor shareholder."
"Moreover, Yuewen is not a penguin after all; it is an independent platform with its own operational logic. At the very least, it must ensure that it is not used as a pawn by others."
I think I made the right choice by selecting the highest bidder. If you want me to cooperate with your strategy, you have to give something in return!
The room remained quiet for a while.
The air conditioner's gentle breeze caused the curtains to flutter slightly, and the afternoon sunlight streamed in through the French windows, illuminating the faces of the two people who remained silent.
Chen Wu's eyes remained calm, but he was constantly thinking of a solution in his mind.
He had intended to use his status as a shareholder to persuade Wang Zi'an to reconsider the company; however, Wang Zi'an anticipated his intentions and preemptively shut him down.
After a long silence, Chen Wu finally spoke.
"Don't worry, I'll give you a satisfactory price when it comes to implementation!"
"Regarding those animation companies, I still suggest you offer some shares; just 1% will do! This is for Tencent's own security, not for controlling stakes. It also helps you find an ally!"
Wang Zian looked at Chen Wu, not wanting to say another word, and took two steps toward the door.
Wang Zian stood up and put one hand into his pocket.
"We'll talk to the professionals at those companies then!"
"They'll arrive tomorrow!"